Tag Archives: happiness project

This year I decided to keep track of everything I read. I’m hoping to keep up this habit so I can properly challenge myself to discover new things and work through my seemingly endless list of books I need to read…

# of Things I read this year: 22

Reading Challenge for 2013: 35 novels/plays/graphic novels

General Reading (Novels and Plays)

Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

It took me forever to get through this, but when I finally got myself into a proper flow it was great. Pip’s a bit of a jerk..

Atonement – Ian McEwan

Enjoyable. Gets a 3 on the tear jerker scale I have just made up. The scale goes from 1-5. What’s a 5 you say? That would be Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, which left me a tear soaked mess for the entire last third of the book.

Surfacing – Margaret Atwood

Not one of my favourites, but still interesting.

Clash of Kings – George R. R. Martin

This book is long and awesome. Except for those accursed Sansa chapters. Goddamn…

Moral Disorder – Margaret Atwood

Great set of short stories. Highly recommend.

The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde

Witty as fuck. Would I dare to expect anything less from this man?

The Best Laid Plans – Terry Fallis

This book was alright. The style of humour gets old fast, but it’s fun to see a book take place in the world of Canadian politics. Dull at first but picks up after the first half.

God No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales – Penn Jillette

Funny, filthy and at times horribly obnoxious. A perfect reflection of the author.

Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

Finally got around to reading this. I loved it, but then again, dystopian fiction is my cup of tea.

The Happiness Project – Gretchen Rubin

Really fascinating project which gave me a lot to think about. Boggles my mind that Rubin actually undertook this. I didn’t have a lot in common with her, so couldn’t connect to a lot of her stories/values, but I still found helpful advice.

The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work – John Gottman

Holy shit, read this book. It doesn’t matter if you are in a romantic relationship or not, it will help you with any personal relationship you have (parents, friends, siblings). Ahh the power of communication and mutual respect.

Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel García Márquez

This is literally one of the best books I have ever read. I found it for a dollar in Value Village 2 years ago and finally dug it out of my bookshelf. Beautiful descriptors and solid characters.

Overall, this is a great book. If you are a comics fan, it’s definitely a must read, though be warned, it may sully your perception of Stan Lee.

At the end of this year I also joined two book clubs thanks to Geek & Sundry. Yay!

Sword and Laser Book Club (Sci-Fi and Fantasy Novels):

The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien

I tried reading this as a child, but never made it past the first chapter. Somehow I haven’t touched it since then, although I read the LOTR trilogy in high school. I really liked this book. It’s a cute, and snappy story. Debating on whether I want to see the film in theatre…

Vaginal Fantasy Book Club (Paranormal Romance Novels):

Succubus Blues – Richelle Mead

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a great piece of fluff with interesting characters, good humour and some hot smutty action. What more could I want?